Dimethylaminoalkylchalcogenolate complexes of palladium(II): Synthesis, structures, and their catalytic activity in Suzuki C–C cross-coupling reactions

The reaction of [PdCl(E∩N)]n with AgOAc in methanol afforded the corresponding acetato complexes, [Pd(OAc)(E∩N)]n (E∩N/n = ECH2CH2NMe2/3; ECH2CH2CH2NMe2/2 (E = S or Se)). The molecular structures of [Pd(OAc)(ECH2CH2NMe2)]3 were established by single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The trimeric structures comprise of three palladium atoms bridged through chalcogen atoms of the chelating chalcogenolate ligand forming a twisted six-membered Pd3E3 ring. The acetato-ligand acts in a monodentate fashion. The catalytic activity of [PdCl(E∩N)]n and [Pd(OAc)(E∩N)]n in Suzuki C–C cross coupling reactions has been investigated. The dimeric acetato complexes showed the best activity in dioxane.